Key to Longevity Is Kindness, World's Oldest Person Said

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The world's oldest person, an Arkansas woman named Gertrude
Weaver, died at age 116 on Monday, according to news reports.
Weaver had something in common with the woman who now holds the
title of the world's oldest person: both attributed their
longevity to exercise, as well as a compassionate spirit.

Weaver held the title of the world's oldest person for only five
days, after Misao Okawa, a Japanese woman who lived to be 117,
died last Wednesday (April 1). Weaver was born on the Fourth of
July in 1898, and died Monday due to complications from
pneumonia, Arkansas station
KATV reported.

Now, the world's oldest living person is Michigan woman Jeralean
Talley, who is closely followed by Susannah Mushatt
Jones of New York City and Emma Morano of Italy,
all of whom are 115, USA
Today reported. [ The
World's 7 Weirdest World Records ]

Weaver enjoyed manicures, Bible study and wheelchair dancing, she
told
Time magazine in 2014. Weaver said the secret to her long
life was kindness: "Treat people right and be nice to other
people the way you want them to be nice to you."

Tulley has offered similar advice for living a long life: Stay
active and live by the Golden Rule, USA Today reported.

Okawa, the world's oldest person up until last week, offered
slightly different advice. She told
The Japan Times that the key to her longevity was "eating
delicious things," such as ramen noodles, beef stew, hashed beef
and rice.

Researchers have linked longevity to a wide array of factors,
including having good genes, being
vegetarian, eating lots of fiber, not sitting too much,
jogging and volunteering.

The oldest person ever known was Jeanne Louise Calment of France,
who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old. Calment died in 1997,
according to
Guinness World Records. The world's current oldest living man
is Sakari Momoi of Japan, who is 111, according to the
Geronotology Research Group, which keeps track of the world's
supercentenarians, or people older than 110.